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The Vestavia Hills Fire Department will receive a grant of more than $160,000 for equipment to help fight wild land fires, U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer announced Thursday.

The grant, worth $160,750, was awarded by the Department of Homeland Security through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, according to a news release from Palmer's spokesman, Clifford Smith.

"The men and women at VHFD put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of the members of their community," Palmer said in a statement. "While this request predates my time in office, it is appropriate that public officials in Alabama work together with our fire departments like Vestavia Hills in an effort to support their good work."

The grant is specifically designed to fund equipment to fight wild land fires. Vestavia Hills has responded to a number of those fires in the past few years. One brush fire on Shades Mountain in early 2014 was visible for miles.